Rotary engine



Nov. 25, 1930,

L. M. RANDOLPH 82,766

ROTARY ENG I NE Original Fiied May 1-5, 2 s Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR wmmqm aw ATTORNEY L. M. RANDOLPH ROTARY ENGINE Original M May 1926 s Sheets-Sheet 2 10 0 I'l W INVENTOR Mm MM I l ATTORNEY Nov 25, 1930 L. M. RANDOLPH I ROTARY ENGJQNE 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Fi e y 19126 6 6 V k I M '5 INVENTOR 7 BY k %%@%W ATTORNEY atented Nov. 25, 1930 PATENT OFFICE LEONARD M. rmnnonrn, or NEWARK, NEWVJ'ERSEY JBJQTARY ENGINE Application filed May 15, 1926, serial It'd. 109,264J1tenewed fiugust 9, 1929.

This invention relates to that class of prime moversknown as rotary engines, in which elasticfluids, as steam, compressed air, etc., are used expansively as a motive force, the,

t invention being an improvementv over my prior PatentNo. 1,268,711, issued June 4, 1918.

Intensive continuous experiments have developed many=important improved fea- 1 tures among which is a valve mechanism having a variable cut-ofi' and capable of reversing the direction of rotation of the engine instantly and without shock or jar, besides avoiding back pressure.

15 Another object is to provide a novel method of retaining the valves in their relative position under manual control. 0

It is a further aim' to provide an essentially frictionless structure in which means com- 20 pensating for changes in temperature are utilized andlubrication afiorded.

r A further-feature is in the arrangement of'the parts in the rolling valves whereby not only an accurate cut-ofi'is attained but 2 also to utilize the velocity of flow, of the impelling medium directly against the pistons. These and other advantages, which will later appear, are accomplished.v by the novel and practical construction, combination and arrangement of parts and utilization of principles hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a material component of this disclosure, and

in which -of the device, cut through the center thereof. Figure 2 is a side elevational view'of an assembled embodiment of the invention.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional itiew taken on line 33 of Figure 1 the valves being turned .into a different position. c

Figure 4 is a similar view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1. Figure 5 is a like sectional view taken on line 55 of Figure 1., I Figure 6 is a side'elevational view of the adjustable port carrying rings. g

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of an exhaust conduit as related to a; rotary piston blade.

termediate part 35.

material and also serve as packings in a well Figure 1 is a longitudinal,sectional view- Figure 8 is a perspective view of such blade in detail. I

In; the several views the numeral designates in general a rectangular base from which rises a cylindrical hollow casing 16 at one side, and fixed to the base on the opposite side is a similar but reversed hollow casing 17, the proximate'edges of both casings being enshrouded in a third casing 18 of slightly greater diameter. '20

These casings are firmly held in fixed relation by bolts 19 which also pass through the walls of partitions 20 and 21, the main portions ofwhich extend to the junctions of the casings 16 and 17 respectively with an in- A central hub 22 on the outer side of the casing 17 is bored to receive a shaft 23 by which power is conducted from the engine; this shaft rotates in anti-friction bearings 24 and 25, the former being held'in 70.

an adjustable'sleeve 26 contained in an outstanding hub 27 on the partition 21.and the bearing is similarly held in a sleeve 28 carried in a reversely positioned hub 29 formed on the partition 20, a thrust bearing 30 for 575 the end of the shaft being secured by acap 31 engaged in the sleeve as best shown in Figure 1.

The shaft 23 is provided with shallow annular grooves wherever-it makes rotative contact with stationary parts of the structure, their function being to' contain lubricating known manner. On the largest diameter of the shaft 23, which is stepped as shown, is keyed a rotor 32, the same being a conical frustu m on its periphery and in which is secured two rotor blades 33, at diametrically opposite points, and which will be hereafter more fully (10- scribed. i

The rotor blades operate in an annular chamber 34 formed between the inner surface of the partition 20 and an internal element 35, the adjacent surfaces of the contacting elements being provided with minute packing grooves 36 as indicated. 1

.Also keyed to a reduced step of the shaft 23 is a spur gear 37 meshing'with three equally spaced pinions 38 disposed in recesses I l in the sleeves.

39 formed in the support 35, these pinions being keyed to the inner cylindrical ends of conical valves 40.

Said valves are mounted in anti-friction bearings 41 carried in adjustable sleeves 42 arranged in hubs 43 on the outer surface of the partition 21 and are further provided with thrust bearings 44 held by a cap 45 adjustably In the assembly the bearings 41 are firmly attached to the ends of the valves 40 by cap screws and caps 45 carried in the sleeves 42 which are secured in the housings and means forretaining the bearing in adjustment, not shown, are provided.

The outer cylindrical portions of the valves are held in a similar manner in hubs 46 extending from the partition 20, and it is to be noted that the conicity of the valves 40 is complementary to the bevel of the rotor 32.

A chamber 50 in the casing 16 is supplied with an elastic driving fluid, as steam, compressed air or the'like through an inlet 51 by a pipe 52, to circulate uniformly in the space and is controlled'by an annular ring 53 rotatable on the exterior of lateral projections 46 on the element 20, which. are elongated and'shaped to present an arcuate profile to act as a bearing for the ring. (See Figure 5.

Motion is conveyed to the ring by a segmental rack 54 fixed thereto and in mesh with the rack is a pinion 55 fast on a spindle 56, passing out of the casing 16, through a stufiing box 57 and having secured at its outer end a hand lever 58.

Formed through the ring 53 are three equidistant ports 59 obliquely disposed and adapted to deliver the-motive fluid to the valves 40 through any one or more of the ports 60, 61, 62 when the engine is moving in one direction, and through similar ports 63, 64, 65 when in reverse, these conditions bein positively controlled by the lever 58.

' e valves 40 are partially enclosed in sleeves 66 of anti-friction metal, the same be- 7 ing rigidly set in recesses in the support 35, their inner peripheries being cut away to agree with the annular chamber 34 as may be seen in Figs. 3 and 7.

The sleeves 66 are split longitudinally and are inserted to, compensate for sudden changes of pressure, causing unequal expan sion of the rolling valves.

The valves 40, which present abutments in the path of the blades 33 at certain stages in their operation, have inlet ports 67 open to the ring ports 59 through' the hubs 46 of the element 20, the ports reaching diagonally through their valve bodies to their concave faces 68, midway in their length and in which operate the rotor blades 33 as propelled by steam or the likein the chamber 34 entering through the valves in sequence.

Exhaust ports 69 in thevalves 40 take the expanded steam from the blade chamber 34,

deliver it through one or the other of ports 70 or 71 in the element 35, according to rotational direction.

Surrounding similar hub extensions on the element 35 is an annular ring 73 forming the inner wall of an exhaust chamber 72, and having three equally spaced ports 74 with which the diagonal ports 7 0 and 71 may communicate as the rin is turned.

The exhaust ring 3 is provided at its lower edge with a plurality of rack teeth 75 engaged by a pinion 76 fixed on the spindle 56 to be actuated in unison with the inlet ring 53 by the hand lever 58. I

A pipe 77, in open communication with the chamber 72, carries away the exhaust from the engine as will be understood.

. In the casing 17 may be placed an oil pump 80 driven by a belt 81 trained over a pulley 82 fixed on the shaft 23 to afford efiicient lubrication.

With respect to the piston blades 33, as shown in detail in Fig. 8, their outermost and end surfaces are. provided with shallow grooves 83 and their operative faces are formed to.present longitudinal serrations of ratchet shaped formation 84, which, as will be seen, are provided with dove-tail bases 85 to permit readyrenewal, the same being securely set in the rotor 32, see Fig. 3.

One of the rotor blades isalways in operative position to take steam thus rendering the operation of the engine entirely automatic.

The valves are shifted from neutral posltion to operative position, either forward or reverse at will and the point of cut off regulated as may be desired, the engine continuing to operate so long as steam is supplied.

To operate the engine in a clockwise direction, the handle 58 ismoved to the right (operator facing the engine) causing the ring valves 53 and 73 to shift the ports 59 and 74 into register with one or more of the parts 60, 61, and 62 and the exhaust port 71 respectively.

The impelling fluid passes from the cham- .ber 50 through the ports 59, then through ,to pass therethrough and also through the ports 74 in the ring 73 into the exhaust chamber 72, thus imparting a continuous motion to the rotor.

If the handle 58 is moved to the left the ports on the opposite side will function and a reverse motion be given to the I shaft.

From the foregoing itwill be seen that a simple rotary engine has been disclosed,

but it is not desired to restrict the details} l to the exact construction shown, it being obvious that changes, not involving the exercise of invention, may be made without conflicting with the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what i I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is I '1. A reversible rotaryengine comprising a casing, a conical rotor, a plurality of conicalrotary valves actuated in timed relation to said rotor and in rolling contact therewith, means for adjusting said-valves relative to the rotor, a ring having openings controlling the inlet to said valves, a second ring'hava ing openings controlling the outlet from said valves, and meansfor actuating said rings simultaneously. r

2. A rotary engine comprising a casing, a conical rotor, a plurality of rotary valves actuated in timed relation to said rotor, a

ring having openings controlling the inlet to said valves, a second ring having openings a controlling the outlet from said valves, and

means for actuating said rings simultaneously. 3. A

l a casing, a conical rotor, a plurality of conical rotary valves actuated in timed relation to said rotor and in rolling contact therewith, means for adjusting said valves relative to the rotor,'a ring having openings controlling the inlet to said valves, a second ring having openings controlling the outlet from' said valves, means for actuating said rings simultaneously, and sleeves of friction reducing metal partially enclosing said valves.

- 4. A. rotary engine comprising a casing, a

conical rotor, a plurality of rotary valves actuated in timed relation. to said rotor, a

ring having openings controlling the inlet ,to said valves, a second ring having openings controlling the outlet from said valves, means for actuating said rings simultaneously, and sleeves of friction reducing-metal partially enclosing said valves.

' This specification signedthis 14th day of: May, 1926.

LEONARIJ), MJ A'NDOLPE reversible'rotary engine comprising i 

